THE EFFECT AND POTENTIAL OF HEAT PUMP TECHNOLOGY
Problems associated with global warming and energy supply are the issues that humankind century must overcome. Consumption of fossil fuels by consumers is affected by a steep rise in its prices, and that the reducing CO2 emissions as a greenhouse gas (GHGs) are solely dependent on the efforts of consumers who would not take radical measures. The key to resolving these problems lies in realizing “dramatic improvements in energy utilization efficiency” and “a transition to post-carbon energies.” A technology that can accomplish them compatibly is “heat pump”. Heat-pump heaters that utilize ground-source heat have already been available in Europe and North America. In Japan, water heaters that utilizing air-source heat are commercialized and one million units have already been introduced in the market. For heating and water heating, however, heat generated by combustion of fossil fuels is used in general, and it is hard to say that heat pumps have come into wide use as yet. Now, it’s time to promote wide use of heat pumps through international cooperation hand in hand, so as to solve global warming issues.